Fuzzy, four-legged lifeguard saves lives in Poland

Brutus is a four-year-old old German shepherd dog that has saved lives as a water lifeguard. Currently, he works with human lifeguard partners in Kranobrod, East Poland.

Wojciech Pacewicz / EPA

Wojciech Pacewicz / EPA

An article on Time.com describes how the four-legged lifeguards operate: sitting up alongside their human counterparts, the dogs are trained to recognize signs of drowning. When they see someone in trouble, they paddle out to the swimmer, ideally together with their human partners, though they can also go it alone. The distressed swimmer can grab hold of the dog, which will then paddle back to safety with the rescued swimmer in tow, or the dog will drag the person in with its teeth, tugging him ashore by his arm, shirt or bathing suit. Read more